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Creativity, Cities, and Innovation

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  • Neil Lee
  • Andrés Rodríguez-Pose

Abstract

The creative industries have long been seen as an innovative sector. More recent research posits that creative occupations are also a fundamental, but overlooked, driver of innovation. Theory also suggests cities are important for both creative industries and occupations, with urban environments helping firms innovate. Yet little empirical work has considered the links between creative industries, occupations, cities, and innovation at the firm level. This paper addresses this gap using a sample of over 9000 UK SMEs. Our results stress that creative industries firms are more likely to introduce original product innovations, but not those learnt from elsewhere. Creative occupations, however, appear a more robust general driver of innovation. We find no support for the hypothesis that urban creative industries firms are particularly innovative. However, creative occupations are used in cities to introduce product innovations learnt elsewhere. The results suggest that future work needs to seriously consider the importance of occupations in empirical studies of innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Neil Lee & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2014. "Creativity, Cities, and Innovation," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 46(5), pages 1139-1159, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:46:y:2014:i:5:p:1139-1159
    DOI: 10.1068/a46202
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Brunow, Stephan & Hammer, Andrea & McCann, Philip, 2017. "Innovation and location in German knowledge intensive business service firms," IAB-Discussion Paper 201722, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    2. Carlo Corradini & Emma Folmer & Anna Rebmann, 2022. "Listening to the buzz: Exploring the link between firm creation and regional innovative atmosphere as reflected by social media," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 54(2), pages 347-369, March.
    3. Paula Prenzel & Niels Bosma & Veronique Schutjens & Erik Stam, 2022. "Cultural diversity and innovation-oriented entrepreneurship," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2205, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Feb 2022.
    4. Thanos Fragkandreas, 2022. "Three Decades of Research on Innovation and Inequality: Causal Scenarios, Explanatory Factors, and Suggestions," Working Papers 60, Birkbeck Centre for Innovation Management Research, revised Feb 2022.
    5. Jan Stejskal & Petr Hajek, 2019. "Modelling collaboration and innovation in creative industries using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 981-1006, June.
    6. Francesco Izzo & Barbara Masiello, 2015. "Strategie di innovazione nelle imprese creative di servizi," ECONOMIA E DIRITTO DEL TERZIARIO, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2015(1), pages 63-104.
    7. Paul Vallance, 2015. "Design employment in UK regional economies: Industrial and occupational approaches," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 30(6), pages 650-671, September.
    8. Glenn Dutcher & Cortney S. Rodet, 2022. "Which two heads are better than one? Uncovering the positive effects of diversity in creative teams," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 884-897, November.
    9. Niccolò Innocenti & Luciana Lazzeretti, 2018. "Relatedness and growth: The impact of creative industries to the wider economy," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1819, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Apr 2018.
    10. Neil Lee & Andr�s Rodr�guez-Pose, 2014. "Innovation in Creative Cities: Evidence from British Small Firms," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(6), pages 494-512, August.
    11. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Neil Lee, 2020. "Hipsters vs. Geeks? Creative workers, STEM and innovation in US cities," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2021, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Apr 2020.
    12. Zhang, Min & Partridge, Mark & Song, Huasheng, 2018. "Amenities and Geography of Innovation: Evidence from Chinese Cities," MPRA Paper 83673, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Brunow, Stephan & Birkeneder, Antonia & Rodriguez-Pose, Andrés, 2017. "Creative and science oriented employees and firm innovation : a key for smarter cities?," IAB-Discussion Paper 201724, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    14. Brian Fabrègue & Léo J. Portal & Christopher Cockshaw, 2023. "Using smart people to build smarter: How smart cities attract and retain highly skilled workers to drive innovation (Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland)," Smart Cities and Regional Development (SCRD) Journal, Smart-EDU Hub, vol. 7(1), pages 9-30, March.
    15. Craig, Steven G. & Hoang, Edward C. & Kohlhase, Janet E., 2017. "Does closeness in virtual space complement urban space?," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 22-29.
    16. Min Zhang & Mark D. Partridge & Huasheng Song, 2020. "Amenities and the geography of innovation: evidence from Chinese cities," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 65(1), pages 105-145, August.
    17. Stephan Brunow & Antonia Birkeneder & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2018. "Creative and science-oriented employees and firm-level innovation," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1808, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Feb 2018.
    18. Josh Siepel & Roberto Camerani & Monica Masucci, 2021. "Skills combinations and firm performance," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(4), pages 1425-1447, April.
    19. Michael R. Betz & Mark D. Partridge & Belal Fallah, 2016. "Smart cities and attracting knowledge workers: Which cities attract highly-educated workers in the 21st century?," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 95(4), pages 819-841, November.
    20. Stephan Brunow & Bastian Stockinger, 2013. "Establishments' and Regions' Cultural Diversity as a Source of Innovation: Evidence from Germany," Norface Discussion Paper Series 2013022, Norface Research Programme on Migration, Department of Economics, University College London.
    21. Chiara Dalle Nogare & Monika Murzyn-Kupisz, 2021. "Do museums foster innovation through engagement with the cultural and creative industries?," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 45(4), pages 671-704, December.
    22. Nicola Cortinovis & Frank van der Wouden, 2021. "Better by design? Collaboration and performance in the board-game industry," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2104, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Jan 2021.
    23. Mario Mustilli & Filomena Izzo & Domenico Graziano, 2017. "Innovation and Development through Local Creative Industries: The Goldsmith Center in Caserta – Tarì," International Business Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 10(10), pages 57-65, October.
    24. Rafael Boix-Domenech & Vicent Soler-Marco, 2017. "Creative service industries and regional productivity," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 96(2), pages 261-279, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    innovation; creative industries; creative occupations; cities; innovation; learning;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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